The Massachusetts Conference Heart Authority board has signed a $500,000 severance settlement with CEO Marcel Vernon as a state committee launches an investigation into bombshell allegations of corruption.
“The Authority agrees to pay Mr. Vernon a severance payment in the gross amount of five hundred thousand dollars and zero cents ($500,000.00),” reads the settlement, despatched first to the Herald. “The Severance Payment expressly includes all amounts due or allegedly due to Mr. Vernon under the Employment Agreement other than those referenced herein as well as in consideration of him waiving any non-contract claims that he may have, as discussed below.”
The settlement, already signed by each Vernon and the Board of Administrators, comes because the Senate Committee on Publish Audit & Oversight probes management on the quasi-public company for corruption associated to securing paperwork, surveying workers, mismanagement of public funds and extra.
“My transition from the Massachusetts Convention Center Authority reflects a thoughtful move toward a progressive, growth-oriented environment where I can leverage my experience, innovative thinking, and leadership to drive lasting operational and cultural improvement and help guide global growth initiatives within a collaborative, well-governed organization,” Vernon stated in a press release despatched to the Herald.
“There were important points I wanted to make in connection with my decision to depart the Authority, particularly around accountability and transparency. These were points I believe needed to be made. I have made them, and I intend to continue advocating for those principles publicly and constructively. I am grateful to so many in our community from civic and elected leaders, to the Authority’s employees, to partners and stakeholders who supported the work and appreciated what we accomplished together. I value their friendship, collegiality, and support,” he stated.
It additional stipulates that Vernon shall be allowed to debate the Authority, privately and publicly, with none confidentiality restrictions.
“The Parties recognize and agree that given that the Authority is a public authority of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, there is no confidentiality governing this Separation Agreement and its terms,” the settlement says. “The Parties understand, represent, and warrant that nothing in this Agreement should be construed as an admission of wrongdoing or liability by or on the part of any of them.”
The Herald was first to report that the Senate Committee on Publish Audit and Oversight shall be calling on management on the Seaport middle to present info and paperwork associated to the allegations.
The committee despatched a summons letter to Vernon on Dec. 5. Vernon responded to the letter, despatched by state Senator and Committee Chair Mark Montigny, saying he welcomes the summons.
“As Justice Brandeis observed, sunlight is the best disinfectant. In my opinion as someone who was hired a little over a year ago to try to start addressing the very problems that the Committee has correctly identified as troubling ones, the investigation announced today by the Senate Committee on Post Audit and Oversight is a welcome, much-needed initiative to help root out the historic, all-too-entrenched issues faced by the Massachusetts Convention Center Authority,” Vernon wrote in response to the Committee.
“I regard this investigation as very important, and necessary and I regard the Committee as an ally of those of us who have been working to reform the Authority. There will no doubt be some who will try to impede the investigation. I will not be one of them. Like the Committee, I believe that the public is entitled to complete transparency about this subject, and I intend to work actively to help the Committee achieve that transparency,” he stated.
Following Vernon’s response welcoming the investigation, the board scheduled an “emergency meeting” that violated Massachusetts Open Assembly Regulation by failing to inform the general public inside 48 hours and inside two enterprise days. The December 7 assembly, held behind closed doorways in govt session, was meant to “discuss strategy with respect to litigation,” in line with the assembly agenda. There have been rumors the assembly was meant to fireplace Vernon in retaliation for welcoming the investigation, however the board in the end made no resolution.
Vernon was appointed to the place after the timing of those allegations, in October 2024, to curb reviews of racial bias and discrimination.
Within the settlement, the board additionally famous “a number of extremely important achievements and advances at the Authority,” including that he’ll stay as an worker for the rest of the yr because the board appoints an interim-CEO.
“The Authority acknowledges that in the year that he has been CEO, Mr. Vernon has been responsible for a number of extremely important achievements and advances at the Authority during a challenging time in the Authority’s history. The Board, and his fellow employees, are grateful to him for that. Today, Mr. Vernon has decided voluntarily to tender his resignation as CEO,” the board stated.
“During this transition period, the Board and Mr. Vernon have agreed that he will stay on as an employee through the end of the year in order for the Authority to receive the benefit of his advice, and the terms of his departure have been laid out in a formal agreement. The Board will soon be appointing an interim CEO to ensure that the critical work of the MCCA proceeds without interruption,” it stated.
The Herald requested Gov. Maura Healey about its protection of the investigations into the MCCA on Thursday, earlier than information broke of the severance settlement. Healey famous the financial significance the MCCA supplies to Massachusetts, including that she has been monitoring the scenario and was ready on what the board’s subsequent transfer can be.
“The work of the MCCA is really important to Massachusetts in driving our economy and giving us a big economic boost. We’ve got big activities planned this year with FIFA and Tall Ship and MA250. I want to see MCCA doing the very best it can in driving this economy forward, but we’ll have to see what the board does,” Healey stated.
The letter from Committee Chair and state Sen. Mark Montigny (D-2nd Bristol & Plymouth) addresses a laundry checklist of corruption allegations associated to procuring contracts, surveilling workers with out their consent, hiring outdoors regulation corporations and personal investigators to collect info on workers, and destroying bodily and digital proof, amongst different issues.
“Please describe the use of MCCA resources by the Chief Information Security Officer to investigate and surveil Authority employees without authorization. Please describe the justification, processes and procedures to access, monitor and delete information from MCCA employee emails and accounts, as well as accessing employee laptop cameras and microphones,” the summons letter requested. “Please also describe the internal MCCA rules or regulations that would permit the Chief Information Security Officer to utilize such practices.”
Montigny and the committee are ordering that the requested information be delivered inside two weeks, setting a deadline of December 19.
The brand new investigation comes after the Herald reported that Vernon and different MCCA officers have been referred to as to testify earlier than the Joint Committee on Racial Fairness, Civil Rights and Inclusion on efforts to curb racial bias and discrimination from the Authority.
This can be a growing story …
